small bubs

After taking a couple of years off, I now have a studio attached to my house again. All of my other home chores have lost their momentum since its installation :-)

The last week or so I've been making small bubs using 26mm for the mouthpiece and 32mm for the can. My steps are as follows:

fume/wrap-n-rake the mouthpiece
shape mouthpiece
hot seal 9.5mm for the blowtube on the mouthpiece
garage to reheat

fume/wrap-n-rake can
make the basic shape of the can, incuding the bottom
pop hole in the top
slighly flare downstem
drop downstem and melt it in
push the bowl
garage and let it absorb heat for a few minutes before connecting the two pieces

Fairly straightforward and it takes me almost an hour to finish it. Any suggestions on prep work that might cut down on time? Any suggestions to turn it into an assembly line by adding one or two more people?

Cheers,

Josh

Make cans one day, stems the next, put together the third day. There are lots of ways to do it tho, if you make them clear you may be able to bench cool, making it so you dont have to use a kiln for making the parts....def use it for assembly tho

take a 7-8 in pc of 32mm and wrap and rake the whole thing, use about 1/4 to 1/3 for the stem, and the rest for the can. Wrap and rake 8 or so of them take a break then shape/assemble.

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Originally Posted by B-Rye-oNeR

take a 7-8 in pc of 32mm and wrap and rake the whole thing, use about 1/4 to 1/3 for the stem, and the rest for the can. Wrap and rake 8 or so of them take a break then shape/assemble.

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Beat me to it. Take your can size tube and make both mouthpiece and can on one piece. Rip in two and stretch and shape for proper proportions.

Shouldn't take more than 30 minutes that way once you get it down.

Thanks guys! I'm really having fun making them and they are selling at $20 each faster than I can make them...

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Originally Posted by Sparkey

push the bowl
garage and let it absorb heat for a few minutes before connecting the two pieces

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Connect the two pieces (mouthpiece and can) before you push the bowl.

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Originally Posted by Swampy

Connect the two pieces (mouthpiece and can) before you push the bowl.

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Does that save time?

^^ I would suggest having the bowl pushed/downstem attached before adding the neck. It will look cleaner.

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Originally Posted by Sparkey

Does that save time?

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No mate, it gives you something to blow against when you attach the two pieces.

Maybe I read it wrong, here's what I read; you blow the bowl hole and push the bowl, then connect the mouthpiece, is that right?

you could make two buckets or two stems at a time, then shape just before the weld. also, swampy is right about the weld being easier with a closed bucket but if you ever fuck up the downstem (common) you might want to keep doing it first, nothing worse than ripping them back apart to save the stem.

you may also consider going with all clear/scientific style for profit if your welds are pretty. wrap/rake (wap wap) is under valued right now. undeformed clear is a high dollar fad at the moment. add a bake on decal and you're half way to toro. okay, a third of the way.

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Originally Posted by mer

you could make two buckets or two stems at a time, then shape just before the weld. also, swampy is right about the weld being easier with a closed bucket but if you ever fuck up the downstem (common) you might want to keep doing it first, nothing worse than ripping them back apart to save the stem.

you may also consider going with all clear/scientific style for profit if your welds are pretty. wrap/rake (wap wap) is under valued right now. undeformed clear is a high dollar fad at the moment. add a bake on decal and you're half way to toro. okay, a third of the way.

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Repped for sure!

as long as you don't blow out the carb you can still get a good weld you just have to time it right and having a blow hose helps.


Plus if you do a whole day of cans you get fast at the process and dial in each move and flame setting for entire run thus finding the optimum moves. Same goes for mouthpieces.

Once your really dialed in you can mouthpiece the stems and just pick one up every time you finish a can do weld smash bottom and sit in kiln.

The lathe cats make a lot of bubs wit a tube bent and flared tube style for a mouthpiece, If your can can support this style you can really save a lot of time.

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Originally Posted by Sparkey

Does that save time?

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No, but since it's easier on the axis 180* from blowtube. If you push the bowl after welding on the mouthpiece, the push is much more difficult.

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Originally Posted by jr23

as long as you don't blow out the carb you can still get a good weld you just have to time it right and having a blow hose helps.

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Yeah blow out carb but dont pop it, just leave it super thin.

If your comfortable doing welds without bridges you can shape your mouthpiece and pull it off the tube (no blowtube) so it is completely done. Then just bench cool. Bang out a few of those and stack em up. Then just make your can and attach the stem in one step. Wrap n rake should reheat just fine if it is worked in. I worked with a guy years ago that banged wrap n rake bubblers out with this method.

Thanks again guys, I'm gonna start using my blowhose more often.

heh heh still trying to get my head around how you can get a decent weld without being able to puff against a closed tube, you guys have some badass skills :o)

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Originally Posted by Swampy

heh heh still trying to get my head around how you can get a decent weld without being able to puff against a closed tube, you guys have some badass skills :o)

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Exact same diamater and thickness of the connections, same heat when you connect them. I connect, let them stiffen up a bit so it's not totally wet, then give it a puff.

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Originally Posted by Swampy

heh heh still trying to get my head around how you can get a decent weld without being able to puff against a closed tube, you guys have some badass skills :o)

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It's definitely harder without having that absolute pressure, but pretty much it just means you have to puff really hard knowing that 2/3 of your pressure is going to go out the bowl hole/carb. Or plug it with something when you're blowing.

Just stick a ear plug in your can handle, no pun intended. works good and you dont have to blow so hard and cool the rest of the bub down.